Houston’s trees need help. It may not be widely obvious yet, but without substantial rain in the next few weeks the effects of this year’s drought may greatly reduce the area’s green canopy in five years, experts say. The city stands to lose millions of trees, according to Trees for Houston, which has planted about […]
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Want another shot at growing tomatoes? Now’s your chance. As spring-planted tomatoes fade, it’s time to think about planting for fall. Master Gardeners Doug McLeod and Teresa See, veterans at growing spring crops, have been experimenting with different cultivars and methods for better fall harvests. Early ripening ‘Fourth of July’ tops their list of fall […]
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Long a summer favorite, zinnias are water-thrifty annuals that will heat up your garden with an explosion of hot colors — or soft pastels, white or fashionable chartreuse. Blue is about all that’s missing in the color range, but butterflies don’t mind its absence from the rainbow of nectar-filled blooms. The National Garden Bureau has […]
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Texas gardeners rely on an arsenal of plants to pull us through climate extremes. Ornamental grasses are an outstanding group that bails us out in heat and drought. These water-thrifty multitaskers pull through rough conditions with color, texture and form intact. Gradually, they’ve become more go-to plants, winning gardeners with their graceful foliage and […]
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Texas SuperStars are the rank and file of heat-beaters for the garden. Two 2011 SuperStars to consider: Serena angelonia Angelonia, often called summer snapdragon, is a South American native easily grown as a Texas annual for sunny, well-draining soil gardens. The seed-grown Serena series is available in lavender, purple, pink, white and a mix. These […]
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Q: A large limb with green leaves fell from my tree. — C.L., Houston A: Drought is severely stressing trees. Your tree may have other problems that are worsening as a result. Perhaps there are rotten areas within some branches. Weeks of unusually high winds may have been a factor as well. Water trees slowly […]
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Trees are shedding leaves to conserve moisture. Lawns are a patchwork of green and brown. As our worst drought in years continues, watering wisely is a must. Encourage roots to travel away from the hot ground surface by watering slowly and deeply. This also helps reduce runoff and moistens the soil several inches down. To […]
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Does your lawn pass the footprint test? Perhaps not, given the drought. If you leave a trail after walking across your grass, it’s time to water — wisely. When grass blades look dull, roll and fold and don’t bounce back, water slowly and deeply to encourage roots to travel deeper, away from the quickly drying, […]
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John Everett / For the Chronicle Parsley, mint and rosemary, potted in matching blue, bask in a sunny east kitchen window. The fragrant, useful leaves lift winter spirits. John Everett / For the Chronicle • For more photos see the photo gallery here. Patience, gardeners. This winter has outdone the last, leaving even more brown […]
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